Bernardini’s six-year-old son Imperative took the one-mile Big Bear Stakes at Santa Anita on November 3rd to bring his lifetime earnings to $2,002,365.
Imperative broke slowly and found himself trailing the field down the backstretch before making a five-wide move around the turn to reach contention. He continued to close on the leader through the stretch before taking the lead in the final sixteenth and pulling away to win by a length and a half.
The Big Bear was Imperative’s first win in 2016 following six consecutive tries against Graded Stakes company this season, including a sixth behind California Chrome in the G1 Pacific Classic in his most recent start. He was a Graded Stakes winner in 2014 when he captured the $1.5 million G2 Charles Town Classic during a season that also saw him finish third in both the G1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita and G1 Pacific Classic.
Out of the Stakes-winning mare Call Her, Imperative is a half-brother to Graded Stakes winner and G1-placed Battle Won, Stakes winner Nadeshiko, and Stakes-placed Matched. He was bred in Kentucky by Glencrest Farm LLC & Darley.
Bernardini is the sire of nine Graded Stakes winners in 2016, including dual G1 winner Cavorting; multiple Graded Stakes winner Lewis Bay, Penwith, winner of the G2 Royal Delta Stakes; Carrumba, winner of the G3 Top Flight Handicap; Innovative Idea, winner of the G3 Groupie Doll Stakes; Genre, winner of the G3 Molly Pitcher Stakes; and Shagaf, winner of the G3 Gotham Stakes.
Bernardini will stand the 2017 breeding season for $100,000 live foal, stands and nurses.
